Tamper proof fire hydrant



United States Patent Inventor John J. Smith Decatur, Illinois Appl. No. 719,403 Filed April 8, 1968 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 Assignee Mueller Co.

Decatur, Illinois a corporation of Illinois TAMPER PROOF FIRE HYDRANT 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 137/296, 74/89.]5, 251/270, 251/291, 251/337 Int. Cl E03b 9/02, F16k 31/50 Field oi'Search 251/128,

291, 246(Considered), 337, 270; 74/(lnquired), 89.14, 89.15; 137/272. 282-285. 294, 296, 298-3083173120, 322

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 479,259 7/1892 Ette 137/272 1,124,455 1/1915 Kemp etal 137/283 2,599,204 6/1952 Schmid 251/246 2,889,849 6/1959 Shohan 137/322 3,070,115 12/1962 Jester 137/296 Primary Examiner-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner--Richard Gerard Attorney- Cushman. Darby and Cushman ABSTRACT: A tamper proof fire hydrant which can only be operated with the use of a special operating means or tool thus preventing the opening of the hydrant by unauthorized persons for unauthorized use. The fire hydrant is provided with spring means to normally urge the valve means of the same toward the closed position, the spring means being located in the bonnet member out of the flow path of the hydrant. Additionally, the hydrant is provided with means for detachably receiving the operating device and requires only reciprocating movement to open and close its valve means.

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TAMIER PROOF FIRE I-IYDRANT SPECIFICATION The present invention relates to improvements in fire hydrants and, more particularly, to improvements in those types of fire hydrants having a vertical barrel, a hydrant shoe with a hydrant valve positioned therein, an enclosure bonnet to which may be detachably attached a special tool or operating member for actuating the valve.

In recent years municipalities have found an increasing unauthorized use of fire hydrants by persons during hot weather, civil disturbances, and the like. The unauthorized use has caused considerable waste of water which is both costly and dangerous, especially during the seasons of the year when reservoirs are heavily taxed through normal use. Additionally, the unauthorized use has resulted in the breaking of hydrant operating mechanisms without notification to the proper authorities. Hence, occasions have occurred when authorized users have found the same inoperable.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a fire hydrant which is capable of operation only by authorized personnel having special tools or operating devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrant structure in which the self-contained operating devices, such as the operating nut, are eliminated, the hydrant utilizing valve stem means which may be reciprocated to operate the valve, the valve stem means being exposed to the exterior of the bonnet and engagable only by a special detachable operating device or mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hydrant utilizing a detachable valve operator means capable of opening the hydrant against fluid pressure of the main, the valve of the hydrant being closed by the pressure of the main when the operator means is released or being closed by spring means positioned out of the flow way through the hydrant.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved top closure member for a hydrant barrel which may be used with existing hydrant structures and valve stems.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved top closure member for a fire hydrant barrel which can be easily removed, taken to a shop for repair, or easily replaced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a top closure member for a fire hydrant or the like which is adapted to have an operating means detachably attached to the same, the operating means, when attached, being perfectly aligned with the valve stem means for reciprocating the same.

Ancillary to the preceding objects, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved tamper proof hydrant structure which can be closed at a slow and controlled rate to prevent water hammer in the mains.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a fire hydrant embodying the principles of the present invention, the fire hydrant being shown with the detachable valve operator means secured thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the top closure means of the fire hydrant of FIG. 1, the view also illustrating in vertical section, the operating member detachably secured thereto;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a modified form of top closure for the hydrant with a modified valve operating member.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, the fire hydrant of the present invention includes a hydrant shoe adapted to be connected to a water main (not shown), the shoe 10 having an upwardly facing opening or mouth surrounded by a peripheral flange 12. A barrel member generally designated at 14, which is made up of a lower section 16 and an upper section 18, is provided at its lower end with a peripheral flange 20 which is bolted to a flange 12 of the shoe 10 by bolt means 22. The shoe 10, which is normally formed of cast iron, may be similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,554, issued September 24, 1963, to Frank H. Mueller and John J. Smith, the patent having common assignee with the instant application.

A reciprocable valve element generally designated at 24 is carried on the lower end of an upwardly extending valve stem member generally designated by the numeral 26 by a cap nut 28 and a lock washer 30, the valve element having an upwardly facing frustoconical seating surface arranged to cooperate and seal with a frustoconical downwardly facing hydrant valve seat 34. The upper portion 36 of the valve element 24 is provided with vertically extending rib elements 38 arranged to cooperate with longitudinal grooves in the ring seat of the shoe in the usual manner. As will now be evident, the ribs 38 prevent the valve element 24, as well as the valve stem 26, from rotating but they permit the same to reciprocate vertically to open and close the valve. The lower and upper barrel sections 16 and 18 of barrel member 14 are detachably connected by means of a frangible connection generally designated at 40 and described in detail in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,554.

At this point it should be mentioned that the valve stem member 26 is also made of at least two parts, a lower stern part 42 and an upper stern part 44 connected together by a frangible sleeve connection 46 having a weakening groove 48 thereon. Such an arrangement permits the hydrant, if subjected to a severe blow from an automobile or the like striking the same, to have the upper barrel section 18 knocked over without damage to the shoe l0 and valve 24. The frangible connections 40 and 46 permit the separation of the barrel from the shoe thus resulting in the saving of a majority of the parts from the hydrant for reuse.

The upper barrel section 18 is provided with a peripheral flange 50 for receiving a bonnet or top closure member 52. The bonnet or closure member 52 is preferably made from cast iron and is provided with a circumferential downwardly extending flange 56 arranged to fit over and around the flange 50. Bolt means 58 or the like extending through the flanges 50 and 56 detachably secure the bonnet 52 to the barrel 14 as clearly shown.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, it will be noted that the upper end of the upper section 44 of valve stem 26 is exteriorly threaded as shown at 60. The threaded end 60 of the valve stem 26 is adapted to be received in an interiorly threaded stem collar 62 secured by a stem pin 64 to the lower end of a reciprocating operating shaft 66. In substance, the operating shaft 66 thus provides an extension of the valve stem which is accessible from the exterior of the bonnet 52 as will be more apparent later in the specification.

The bonnet or top closure member 52 is provided with a downwardly extending interior boss 68 provided with an aperture having an annular groove therein for receiving an O-ring 72 which makes sealing contact with the operating shaft or extension of the stem 66. The boss 68 is provided with an enlarged bore 74 therein communicating with the aperture 70, the upper end of the bore 74 being interiorly threaded as indicated at 76. A bushing 78 having exterior threads 80 is adapted to be received in the threaded end of the bore 74, the bushing 78 being provided at its lower end with an exterior annular groove for receiving an O-ring 82 adapted to make sealing contact with the wall of the bore. Bushing 78 receives the upper end of the operating shaft 66 and when the operating shaft 66 is in position as shown in FIG. 2, the bushing 78 and boss 68 define a closed chamber 84 around a portion of the operating shaft 60.

The portion of the operating shaft 60 within the closed chamber 84 is provided with an annular flange 86 adjacent its upper end and a coil spring 88 surrounding the operating shaft closing of the valve 24 in the shoe as the operating shaft is operatively connected to the valve through the coupling 62 and valve stem 26. In order to prevent ingress of liquid into the closed chamber 84 from the exterior of the hydrant, the upper end of the shaft 66 is provided with an exterior annular groove which receives an O-ring 90 which makes sealing engagement with the walls of the bushing 80.

The bonnet 52 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed holes 92 at its upper end for receiving ears 94 of latches 96 carried on a detachable operating mechanism generally indicated at 98. In more detail, the operating mechanism 98, which is in effect a screw jack means, is provided with a body member 100 having oppositely disposed exterior lugs 102 at its lower end for pivotally receiving the latches 96. Spring means 104 normally urge the latches 96 toward one another so that when they are snapped apart and then positioned in the holes 92 they will retain the operating mechanism 98 in an attached operative position relative to the hydrant. The body member 100 is provided with a bore 106 therethrough, the bore 106 having keyways or longitudinally extending grooves 108 at its lower end. A thrust pin 110 is arranged to reciprocate longitudinally of the body 100 in its bore 106, the thrust pin being provided with splines 112 or the like cooperating with the grooves or keyways 108. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the thrust pin 110 is provided with an internally threaded bore at its upper end, the bore being arranged to receive the threaded end of a rotatable stem 114. The stem 114 has an annular flange 116 thereon held by thrust washers 118 in a chamber defined by a cover plate 120. Thus when a handle 122 secured to the outer end of the stem 114 is rotated, the stem 114 rotates without moving longitudinally relative to the body 100 and, consequently, its threaded end will cause the thrust pin 110 to move either upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction of rotation.

As will now be evident, when the thrust pin 110 of the operating member 98 is reciprocated downwardly, its end 126 having a projection 128 thereon received in a depression on the end of an operating shaft 66 will cause the operating shaft 66 to move downwardly which in turn moves the valve stem 26 downwardly and opens the valve 24 against the pressure of water in the main. The water will flow through the hydrant barrel and out of the usual hydrant noule 130 without the water contacting the coil spring 88 which normally urges the valve 24 toward its closed position. By utilizing a screw jack means as the operating mechanism 98, the valve 24 can be closed slowly at a controlled rate by the thrust pin 110 being withdrawn, thus, eliminating the danger of water hammer in the pipes. It will also be evident that the arrangement is such that the entire bonnet 52 along with the operating shaft 66 and its spring 88 may be removed as a unit from the hydrant without disturbing the valve 24 thereby enhancing servicing of the hydrant. Additionally, by having the operating mechanism 98 detachable relative to the hydrant, the unauthorized use of the hydrant is prevented as conventional tools such as wrenches or the like cannot be used to operate the hydrant.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is disclosed a modified form of bonnet or top closure 52' of the present invention requiring a slightly modified form of operating mechanism 98. In the bonnet 52, the bushing 78 is provided with a lower exteriorly threaded end 79 and an upper exteriorly threaded end 81, the end 81 extending from the exterior of the bonnet. The bushing 78' is provided with an annular flange 83 received in an annular groove 85 provided in the bonnet 52, the bushing being retained in position by means of a nut 87 threaded onto the end 79, the nut having oppositely disposed ears or lugs 89 thereon.

The operating shaft 66' is integral with the collar 62' for receiving the upper threaded end 60 of the valve stem 26. A

spanner member 91 carried on the collar 62 is provided with oppositely disposed ears or lugs 93 arranged to receive the lower ends of a pair of coil springs 95. The upper end of the coil springs fit over the ears or lugs 89 of the nut 87 and as is now evident the springs normally urge the valve stem 26 upwardly so as to close the valve 24.

The hydrant when not in use is provided with a cap 101 having a pentagon head 103 of the same size as the pentagon head of the cap used for closing the hose outlet nozzle 130. The cap 101 is threaded onto the portion 21 of the bushing 78 extending outwardly of the bonnet 52', there being a flexible band around the cap and secured to the bonnet by the bolt means 58 for retaining the cap 101 when the cap is removed.

In the modification shown in FIG. 4 the operating mechanism 98' is provided with interior threads 107 at the lower end of its body 100 so that the entire mechanism 98' can be threaded onto the threaded end 81 of bushing 78. When the operating mechanism 98 has been threaded onto the end of the bushing 78', the operating mechanism, which in all other respects is the same as the operating mechanism of FIG. 2, may be operated in the same manner so that its thrust pin can be moved downwardly to engage the upper portion of the operating shaft 66' and thus reciprocate the same and the valve stem and valve downwardly. By having the springs 95 in the upper portion of the hydrant above the nozzle outlet 130, the springs are out of the flow path of water and are on the downstream side of the valve so that there will be less corrosion of the same. Also, the bonnet 52', with the operating shaft 66 and the springs 95, may be completely serviced without disturbing the valve 24 in the shoe of the hydrant.

Hydrants with conventional bonnet assemblies may be easily converted to the designs disclosed above with respect to FIGS. 1 or 4, or a tamper proof hydrant of the present invention may be converted to a regular or conventional hydrant.

Having set forth the nature and objects and advantages of the present invention, it will be perceived that certain changes, adjustments and modifications may be made without departing from the principle and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A top closure arrangement for a fire hydrant barrel comprising: a bonnet member adapted to be removably mounted to the top of the hydrant barrel, said bonnet member having an aperture therethrough; an operating shaft carried by said bonnet member and adapted to be attached to and reciprocating a valve stem, said operating shaft having one end extend ing in said aperture and exposed to the exterior of the bonnet member; spring means operatively connecting said operating shaft to said bonnet member to normally urge said operating shaft to a predetermined position in a direction toward the exterior of said bonnet member; and operating means for engaging the exposed end of said operating shaft and moving the same against said spring means, said operating means including a body member having an aperture therethrough, a thrust pin reciprocable in said last mentioned aperture and having threads thereon, a crank member including a threaded stem cooperating with the threads on said thrust pin for reciprocating said thrust pin relative said body member, and means on said body member for detachably securing said operating means to the bonnet member for preventing rotation of and axial movement of said housing relative said bonnet member, said last mentioned means including at least one spring-urged latch carried by said body member, said bonnet member having an aperture in the exterior thereof in which said latch is received.

2. A top closure arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which said bonnet member is provided with an inwardly depending boss defining a closed chamber enclosing the upper end of said operating shaft, and in which said operating shaft is provided with an enlargement thereon positioned within said chamber, said spring means including a coil spring surrounding said operating shaft and positioned within said chamber with one end engaging said enlargement and the other end engaging one of the ends of said chamber.

3. A top closure arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which said operating shaft is provided at its lower end with at least one radially extending projection and in which said spring means includes at least one spring connected to said projection and to said bonnet member on an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of said operating shaft.

4. A top closure arrangement as claimed in claim 1, including: a bushing carried by said bonnet member for receiving the upper end of said operating shaft, and in which said bonnet member has an interior boss, which, together with said bushing, defines a closed chamber through which said operating shaft extends, an enlargement on said operating stem on the portion within said chamber, and said spring means including a coil spring surrounding said operating shaft and positioned within said chamber with one end engaging said enlargement and the other end engaging said boss.

5. A top closure arrangement as claimed in claim 4, including sealing means between said operating shaft and said bushing and a second sealing means between said operating shaft and said boss.

6. A top closure arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which said operating shaft is provided at its lower end with at least a pair of oppositely disposed radially extending projections, and said spring means including springs connected to each of said projections and to the interior of said bonnet member, each spring having an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of said operating shaft. 

